CSEE 3827: Fundamentals of Computer Systems

Standard Forms and Simplification with Karnaugh Maps

Agenda (M&K 2.3-2.5)

• Standard Forms
• Product-of-Sums (PoS)
• Sum-of-Products (SoP)
• converting between
• Min-terms and Max-terms
• Simplification via Karnaugh Maps (K-maps)
• 2, 3, and 4 variable
• Implicants, Prime Implicants, Essential Prime Implicants
• Using K-maps to reduce
• PoS form
• Don’t Care Conditions
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Standard Forms

• There are many ways to express a boolean expression

F = XYZ + XYZ + XZ
= XY(Z + Z) + XZ
= XY + XZ

• It is useful to have a standard or canonical way

• Derived from truth table

• Generally not the simplest form

Two principle standard forms

• Sum-of-products (SOP)

• Product-of-sums (POS)
Product and sum terms

• Product term: logical AND of literals (e.g., XYZ)

• Sum term: logical OR of literals (e.g., A + B + C)

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PoS & SoP
• Sum of products (SoP): OR of ANDs

e.g., F = Y + XYZ + XY

• Product of sums (PoS): AND of ORs

e.g., G = X(Y + Z)(X + Y + Z)

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Converting from PoS (or any form) to SoP
Just multiply through and simplify, e.g.,

G = X(Y + Z)(X + Y + Z)

= XYX + XYY + XYZ + XZX + XZY + XZZ

= XY + XY + XYZ + XZ + XZY + XZ

= XY + XZ

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Converting from SoP to PoS
Complement, multiply through, complement via DeMorgan, e.g.,

Note: X’ = X

F = Y’Z’ + XY’Z + XYZ’

F' = (Y+Z)(X’+Y+Z’)(X’+Y’+Z)

= YZ + X’Y + X’Z (after lots of simplification)

F = (Y’+Z’)(X+Y’)(X+Z’)

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Minterms
e.g., Minterms for 3 variables A,B,C

A B C minterm
• A product term in which all variables
0 0 0 m0 ABC
appear once, either complemented or
0 0 1 m1 ABC uncomplemented (i.e., an entry in the
truth table).
0 1 0 m2 ABC

0 1 1 m3 ABC
• Each minterm evaluates to 1 for
1 0 0 m4 ABC exactly one variable assignment, 0 for
all others.
1 0 1 m5 ABC

1 1 0 m6 ABC • Denoted by mX where X corresponds

1 1 1 m7 ABC to the variable assignment for which
mX = 1.

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Minterms to describe a function
sometimes also called a minterm expansion or disjunctive normal form (DNF)

This “term” is TRUE when

A=0,B=1,C=0

F = ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC

A B C F F
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 0
0 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 0
1 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 0 1
1 1 1 0 1

F = ABC + ABC + ABC

Sum of minterms form
The logical OR of all minterms for which F = 1.

A B C minterm F

0 0 0 m0 ABC 0

0 0 1 m1 ABC 1
F = ABC + ABC + ABC
0 1 0 m2 ABC 1
= m1 + m2 + m3
0 1 1 m3 ABC 1
= ∑m(1,2,3)
1 0 0 m4 ABC 0

1 0 1 m5 ABC 0

1 1 0 m6 ABC 0

1 1 1 m7 ABC 0

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 Minterm form cont’d
(variables appear once in each minterm)
A B C F F minterm

0 0 0 1 0 m0 ABC
F = ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC
0 0 1 1 0 m1 ABC
0 m0 + m1 + m2 + m4 + m5
0 1 0 1 0 m2 ABC
0 ∑m(0,1,2,4,5)
0 1 1 0 1 m3 ABC

1 0 0 1 0 m4 ABC
F = ABC + ABC + ABC
1 0 1 1 0 m5 ABC
0 m3 + m6 + m7
1 1 0 0 1 m6 ABC 0 ∑m(3,6,7)
1 1 1 0 1 m7 ABC
Minterms as a circuit

A B C

F = ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC

0 m0 + m1 + m2 + m4 + m5
0 ∑m(1,0,2,4,5)

Standard form is
not minimal form!
Maxterms

A B C maxterm
• A sum term in which all variables
0 0 0 M0 A+B+C appear once, either complemented or
uncomplemented.
0 0 1 M1 A+B+C

0 1 0 M2 A+B+C
• Each maxterm evaluates to 0 for
0 1 1 M3 A+B+C exactly one variable assignment, 1 for
all others.
1 0 0 M4 A+B+C

1 0 1 M5 A+B+C • Denoted by MX where X corresponds

1 1 0 M6 A+B+C to the variable assignment for which
MX = 0.
1 1 1 M7 A+B+C

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Maxterm description of a function
sometimes also called a maxterm expansion or conjunctive normal form (CNF)

This “term” is FALSE when

A=1,B=1,C=0

F = (A+B+C) (A+B+C) (A+B+C)

A B C F F
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 0
0 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 0 Force to 0
1 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 0 1
1 1 1 0 1
Product of maxterms form
The logical AND of all maxterms for which F = 0.

A B C maxterm F

0 0 0 M0 A+B+C 0

0 0 1 M1 A+B+C 1 F = (A+B+C) (A+B+C) (A+B+C) (A+B+C) (A+B+C)

0 1 0 M2 A+B+C 1
= (M0) (M4) (M5) (M6) (M7)
0 1 1 M3 A+B+C 1
= ∏M(0,4,5,6,7)
1 0 0 M4 A+B+C 0

1 0 1 M5 A+B+C 0

1 1 0 M6 A+B+C 0

1 1 1 M7 A+B+C 0

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One final example

A B C F F
0 0 0 0 1
0 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0 1
0 1 1 1 0
1 0 0 0 1
1 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 1 0
1 1 1 0 1

F F
Minterms
(SOP)

Maxterms
(POS)
Summary of Minterms and Maxterms

F F

Minterms
∑m(F = 1) ∑m(F = 0)
(SOP)

Maxterms
∏M(F = 0) ∏M(F = 1)
(POS)
Relations between standard forms

sum of products product of sums

DeMorgan’s
F F

sum of minterms product of maxterms

all boolean expressions

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Simplification with Karnaugh Maps
Cost criteria
• Literal cost: the number of literals in an expression

• Gate-input cost: the literal cost + all terms with more than one literal +
(optionally) the number of distinct, complemented single literals

Roughly proportional to the number of transistors and wires

in an AND/OR/NOT circuits. Does not apply, to more
complex gates, for example XOR.

Literal cost Gate-input cost

G = ABCD + ABCD 8 8 + 2 + (4)
G = (A+B)(B+C)(C+D)(D+A) 8 8 + 5 + (4)

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Karnaugh maps (a.k.a., K-maps)
• All functions can be expressed with a map

• There is one square in the map for each minterm in a function’s truth table

X Y F
Y
0 0 m0
X 0 1

0 1 m1 m0 m1
0
XY XY
1 0 m2
1 1 m3 m2 m3
1
XY XY

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Karnaugh maps express functions
• Fill out table with value of a function

X Y F
Y
0 1
0 0 0 X

0 1 1 0

1 0 1
1
1 1 1

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Simplification using a k-map
• Whenever two squares share an edge and both are 1, those two terms can be
combined to form a single term with one less variable
Y
0 1
X
0 0 1

Y 1 1 1 Y
0 1 0 1
X X
0 0 1 0 0 1
F = Y + XY
1 1 1 1 1 1
Y
0 1
X
F = XY + XY + XY 0 0 1 F=X+Y

1 1 1

F = X + XY
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Simplification using a k-map (2)
• Circle contiguous groups of 1s (circle sizes must be a power of 2)

• There is a correspondence between circles on a k-map and terms in a

function expression

• The bigger the circle, the simpler the term

• Add circles (and terms) until all 1s on the k-map are circled

Y
0 1
X
0 0 1

1 1 1

F=X+Y
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3-variable Karnaugh maps
• Use gray ordering on edges with multiple variables

• Gray encoding: order of values such that only one bit changes at a time

• Two minterms are considered adjacent if they differ in only one variable (this
means maps “wrap”)

YZ
Y=1
X 00 01 11 10
m0 m1 m3 m2
0
XYZ XYZ XYZ XYZ

m4 m5 m7 m6
X=1 1
XYZ XYZ XYZ XYZ
Z=1

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4-variable Karnaugh maps
Extension of 3-variable maps

WXYZ or W+X+Y+Z
YZ Y
WX 00 01 11 10
0 0 m0 m1 m3 m2

0 1 m4 m5 m7 m6
X
1 1 m12 m13 m15 m14
W
1 0 m8 m9 m11 m10

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Implicants
Implicant: a product term, which, viewed in a K-Map is a 2i x 2j size
“rectangle” (possibly wrapping around) where i=0,1,2, j=0,1,2

YZ Y YZ Y
WX 00 01 11 10 WX 00 01 11 10
0 0 m0 m1 m3 m2 0 0 m0 m1 m3 m2

0 1 m4 m5 m7 m6 0 1 m4 m5 m7 m6
X X
1 1 m12 m13 m15 m14 1 1 m12 m13 m15 m14
W W
1 0 m8 m9 m11 m10 1 0 m8 m9 m11 m10

Z Z

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Implicants
• Implicant: a product term, which, viewed in a K-Map is a 2i x 2j size
“rectangle” (possibly wrapping around) where i=0,1,2, j=0,1,2

YZ Y YZ Y
WX 00 01 11 10 WX 00 01 11 10
0 0 m0 m1 m3 m2 WXYZ 0 0 m0 m1
W
m3 m2
WY
0 1 m4 m5 WXYm6
m7 0 1 m4 m5 m7 m6
X X
1 1 m12 m13 m15 m14 WX
1 1 m12 m13 m15 m14
W WZ W
1 0 m8 m9 m11 m10 1 0 m8 m9 m11 m10

Z Z

WXZ

Note: bigger rectangles = fewer literals

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4-variable Karnaugh map example
W X Y Z F
0 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 1 1
YZ Y
0 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 0 WX 00 01 11 10
0 1 0 0 1
00
0 1 0 1 1
0 1 1 0 1 01
0 1 1 1 0 X
1 0 0 0 1 11
1 0 0 1 1 W
10
1 0 1 0 1
1 0 1 1 0 Z
1 1 0 0 1
1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 0

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Implicant terminology
• implicant: a product term, which, viewed in a K-Map is a 2i x 2j size
“rectangle” (possibly wrapping around) where i=0,1,2, j=0,1,2

• prime implicant: An implicant not contained within another implicant.

• essential prime implicant: a prime implicant that is the only prime

implicant to cover some minterm.

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4-variable Karnaugh maps (3)
• List all all of the prime implicants for this function

• Is any of them an essential prime implicant?

• What is a simplified expression for this function?

YZ Y
WX 00 01 11 10
00 0 0 1 0

01 1 1 1 0
X
11 0 1 1 1
W
10 0 1 0 0

Z
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Using K-maps to build simplified circuits
• Step 1: Identify all PIs and essential PIs

• Step 2: Include all Essential PIs in the circuit (Why?)

• Step 3: If any 1-valued minterms are uncovered by EPIs, choose PIs that are
“big” and do a good job covering

1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

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Design example : 2-bit multiplier
a1 a0 b1 b0 z3 z2 z1 z0 two 2-bit #’s multiplied together to give a 4-bit solution
0 0 0 0
e.g., a1a0 = 10, b1b0 = 11, z3z2z1z0 = 0110
0 0 0 1

0 0 1 0

0 0 1 1

0 1 0 0

0 1 0 1

0 1 1 0

0 1 1 1

1 0 0 0

1 0 0 1

1 0 1 0

1 0 1 1

1 1 0 0

1 1 0 1

1 1 1 0

1 1 1 1

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K-Maps: Complements, PoS, don’t care conditions
Finding F
Find prime implicants corresponding to the 0s on a k-map

YZ YZ
WX 00 01 11 10 WX 00 01 11 10
00 1 1 0 1 00 0 0 1 0

01 1 1 0 1 01 0 0 1 0

11 1 1 0 0 11 0 0 1 1

10 1 1 0 1 10 0 0 1 0

F = Y + XZ + WZ F = YZ + WXY
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PoS expressions from a k-map
Find F as SoP and then apply DeMorgan’s

YZ
WX 00 01 11 10
00 1 1 0 1

01 1 0 0 0 F = YZ + XZ + YX

11 1 0 0 0
DeMorgan’s
F = (Y+Z)(Z+X)(Y+X)
10 1 1 0 1

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 Don’t care conditions
There are circumstances in which the value of an output doesn’t matter

• For example, in that 2-bit multiplier, what if we are told a1 a0 b1 b0 z3 z2 z1 z0

that a and b will be non-0? We “don’t care” what the 0 0 0 0 X X X X
output looks like for the input cases that should not 0 0 0 1 X X X X
occur
0 0 1 0 X X X X
0 0 1 1 X X X X

• Don’t care situations are denoted by an “X” in a truth 0 1 0 0 X X X X

table and in Karnaugh maps. 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
• Can also be expressed in minterm form:
1 0 0 0 X X X X
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
• During minimization can be treated as either a 1 or a 0
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
z2 = ∑m(10,11,14) 1 1 0 0 X X X X

d2 = ∑m(0,1,2,3,4,8,12) 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1

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2-bit multiplier non-0 multiplier
a1 a0 b1 b0 z3 z2 z1 z0
1’s must be covered
0 0 0 0 X X X X
0’s must not be covered
0 0 0 1 X X X X
X’s are optionally covered
0 0 1 0 X X X X
0 0 1 1 X X X X
0 1 0 0 X X X X
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
b0 b0
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 X X X X X X X X
0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
X 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 a0
1 0 0 0 X X X X a0
X 0 1 0 X 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
a1 a1
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 X 0 0 0 X 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 0 X X X X b1 b1
1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
z3 = z2 =
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1

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2-bit multiplier non-0 multiplier (2)
a1 a0 b1 b0 z3 z2 z1 z0
0 0 0 0 X X X X b0 b0
0 0 0 1 X X X X
X X X X X X X X
0 0 1 0 X X X X
0 0 1 1 X X X X X 0 1 1 X 1 1 0
0 1 0 0 X X X X X 1 0 1
a0 X 1 1 0
a0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 a1 a1
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 X 1 1 0 X 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 b1 b1
1 0 0 0 X X X X
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 z1 = z0 =
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
1 1 0 0 X X X X
1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1
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Final thoughts on Don’t care conditions
Sometimes “don’t cares” greatly simplify circuitry

D
1 X X X
X 1 X X
B
0 0 1 X
A
0 0 X 1
C

ABCD + ABCD + ABCD + ABCD vs. A + C

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